nother comparison...Hellarazor vs Stealth

05-30-2012, 12:25 PM

In the board comparison thingy these boards look pretty similar bar the obvious things like the tails and double concaves on the razor
I picked up the hellrazor the other day and the rails up front felt v. similar to the stealths, and I was also pretty surprised by the lack of nose volume..
anyway
I've always enjoyed my 5'10" stealth in clean waves, but not in anything too much overhead
Is the hellrazor a bit more versatile? Chris...you've surfed both
I'm thinking a 5'11" hellrazor will prob be my next board over the MB which looks surprisingly boxy

Comment

Yeah I like that rocker in punchy beach breaks. Didn't like it so much in morocco...
I think the last Taj models had a slightly relaxed rocker from the older ones. My 602 seemed more extreme. Not 100% on that though

Yeah you know they both are high performance boards in my opinion and i think they work well for different reasons. To me the magic of the Hellrazor comes from the slightly greater width, which allows it to get over fat sections, as well as the the step rail on the tail (coffin tail). It is thinner and has more rocker than standard hybrids so the board is really sensitive and precise, but should be ridden longer so you have more rail to work with. Feels great in waves with a bit of push.

The Michel is an all around good HP shortboard with a more traditional shape, a progressive rocker and a good amount of volume so it can be ridden a bit shorter than a flex fire or Taj. Yeah the rails are fuller than the Taj but, keep in mind the physical differences between the two athletes. Also make sure you weren't getting your hands on a thicker Michel. I ride the 600 Michel, thinner version, and it feels very "unboxy" and its kind of my go to in steeper surf.

So would I buy both? hmmm....likely not until I had all of my other areas covered. To me they get ridden in similar surf, perhaps with the Hellrazor having a touch more versatility in average conditions due to its width and ability to be ridden as a quad. The Razor breathes performance but with a hint of hybrid mixed in there that you can feel at different times. The Michel is all shortboard all the time. Subtle differences, but an experienced surfer will know whether he or she wants a little extra width or a little extra length...

deon, i've been on both thicknesses in the mb in 602...i should be on the 600 but wanted to stick to my flexfire 602x18 3/4 length...i'm still chasing proper test waves so have not put em through their paces fully but even the thinner one does require a fair bit of muscle to articulate it.(remember i'm riding it long with the fuller nose so probably more rail in at any given time)..not twitchy like the taj or even a flexy..great for guys who find the taj too advanced....it has a taj style rocker which i'm readjusting to after a few years on the flexy and hellfire...so i hear you about the projection...but...this has a longer wetted rail line at the same length so i'm starting to find the projection there instead of the from the rocker glide...only had a couple of waves open up for me to do anything solid and its run through beautifully with easy recovery from critical positions with the tail rocker...

thanks core - I always like your input
anyway - bought the 5'11" hellrazor
lovin this board
Am still recovering from an ankle injury so haven't been surfing 100%, but this board feels like the business!
1st wave: straight into a double standup barrel, no hassles
Right size for me at 84kgs and I've surfed it into overhead waves no probs.
Fast and controlled and you can push it pretty hard.
It also recovers really well in a tight situation- I think the rocker is perfect - plus has enough flatness in the tail + width to carry you thru the flats
Did record my 2nd session on my gopro, so will try put an edit together soon